Open Call for street artists, photographers, and designers.
Selcouth Dance Theater Company is looking to incorporate local artists’ designs in our upcoming performance: ‘MARK’.
‘MARK’ is a dance theater performance inspired by individual and collective power and the possibilities that arise from each action small or large. Our choices leave marks, setting a whole series of actions into motion. How do we uplift or oppress each other through our actions? What kind of Mark do we want to leave behind?
We are looking for:
- Urban photographs
- Street art designs
- Original designs that resemble advertisements but with a sarcastic or anticapitalist perspective.
The concept of the set design is meant to encapsulate an urban landscape through a critical perspective.
The works selected will be featured as part of the set designed by artist Berfin Ataman, who will use these pieces in collage. On the day of the performance, the audience will be invited to leave their Mark on part of the scenographic wall. Paying homage to the ephemerality and value of street art tags, the audience will be invited to write their name, draw, color or design freely the wall. Through this cumulative, collective artifact we hope to create a collective experience for our audience and communities.
We cannot offer participants monetary compensation, as we unfortunately haven’t yet received enough financial support. We do offer social media and in-person promotion, and all proper crediting for your work! You will also have the opportunity to sell your prints at the event.
By submitting your work, you agree on size and scale changes, and color adjustments.
You agree that your work can be used in promotion materials (as you will be credited) photographs, and videos promoting the performance and the company.
Submission deadline November 25, 2023.
Please submit your work here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3sPwVUCL1aRB2brFpkmJxudfsUxs84vaQ-YxOTbXJi8cEgg/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0
For any questions, please email us at: leaveyourmark24@gmail.com
Marianna Varviani (Artistic Director of Selcouth Dance Theater Company)
Marianna Varviani is a Greek dance-theater artist. She has worked internationally in Greece, UK, Spain, Brazil and the USA; as a choreographer, director, performer, and instructor. She has created the works: ‘Vortex’ which was performed at ‘Arc for Dance Festival’, ‘European Dance Network’, and Festival of Rematia ‘Our Festival’, ‘Ahtikos_ a dance for liberation’ performed at ‘Arc for dance festival’ as part of ‘Prime Movers’, ‘Phoenix_ rising from the Ashes’ performed at UCLA Kaufman Hall, ‘Untwine’ performed San Pedro Festival of the Arts/USA, ‘Co’ performed at ‘Ebb & Flow Festival in LA, ‘Are you with me?’ as part of the Culture Flow residency at Piyoda Flow, and ‘Art Truck LA’ as part of ‘The Other Art Fair’ in Santa Monica. Her award-winning collection of short dance films ‘Time to Dream’, has toured internationally to 20 film festivals. Marianna has performed in projects by: Salia Sanou, Friidom, Ghislain Grellier, Stella Spyrou, Ohi Paizoume, Ha! Theatre Ensemble, Patari Project, Dimitris Kostakis, and others.
Marianna has a B.A. in Contemporary Theatre from E15/ University of Essex and an MFA in Dance from UCLA. She has been a member of the Krump Demolition Crew/ DCX since 2021. She has been teaching dance and theater since 2008 in Brazil (Theatre of the Oppressed, RJ), UK (E15/ University of Essex), Greece (Kinitiras studio, Belleville, Lotofagoi/Ministry of Culture, Studio Trajectory), and USA (UCLA, Heidi Duckler Dance, Motive Brooklyn, Piyoda Flow, Crenshaw Yoga and Dance studio).
Berfin Ataman (artist)
Turkish artist Berfin Ataman’s work explores humans’ interactions with their surroundings and the non-human. She strives to challenge the influence exerted by human-made systems, such as society, culture, and architecture, on our perception of the non-human. She investigates the neurological and psychological effects of our interactions with them through soft robotics and other new technologies while considering the impact of our societal and cultural backgrounds on our perception. Additionally, she experiments with ideas on how to alter these interactions for a more symbiotic relationship. Ultimately, her objective is to encourage deep reflection on these intricate relationships and the potential consequences they may hold for the future.
Her art has been showcased in galleries and museums like CICA Museum and A+D Museum in Los Angeles. Ataman received the Design Award from the Architecture and Design Museum. She received her BFA in Theatre Design from the University of Southern California, her Post-Baccalaureate degree from the School of Art Institute Chicago, and her MFA from UCLA, Design Media Arts. She is currently a lecturer at UCLA.